Snake flies Australia to Scotland in woman’s shoe

A SNEAKY snake hitched a ride from Australia to Scotland in a tourist's suitcase.

Moira Boxall, from Stirling, found the spotted python in a shoe after returning from a family holiday in Queensland.

The non-venomous reptile, which had shed its skin during the journey to Glasgow, was recovered by the Scottish SPCA and is now in quarantine at the charity's animal rescue and rehoming centre in Edinburgh, The Sun reports.

Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Taylor Johnstone told STV news: "I can confirm that we removed a snake from a property in Bridge of Allan.

"I responded to a call from a woman who had just returned from a holiday in Australia who had found a small snake inside her shoe in her suitcase.

"When I arrived, the snake had been contained by the caller, so I safely removed the snake from the property.

"Upon examination, the snake was found to be a spotted python which is not venomous.

"The snake is now in quarantine at our animal rescue and rehoming centre in Edinburgh."

Flying from Mackay to Glasgow - via Brisbane and Dubai - Moira and her slithering stowaway travelled 11,708 miles (18,842km) door to door.

Paul Airlie, Ms Boxall's son-in-law who lives in Queensland, said: "We are very grateful to the Scottish SPCA for their extremely fast response."

This story originally appeared in The Sun and has been reproduced with permission.